Wayne Rooney axed by Plymouth after woeful run of form with Man Utd legend’s men bottom of Championship
WAYNE Rooney has parted ways with Plymouth Argyle.
The ex-Manchester United star, 39, only took over at the start of the season but the Pilgrims are rooted to the bottom of the Championship table.
Plymouth have not won since a narrow 1-0 victory over Portsmouth on November 5.
They have since embarked on a run of nine games without a win, including heavy losses 4-0 at Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City respectively.
Plymouth have also earned just two points on the road this season.
The club currently sit 24th in the league with just 18 points from 23 matches and are four points adrift from safety.
A statement from the club today said: “Plymouth Argyle can confirm that the club and Head Coach Wayne Rooney have mutually agreed to part ways with immediate effect.
“Departing the club with Rooney will be Assistant Head Coach Mike Phelan and first team coach Simon Ireland.
“First team coach Kevin Nancekivell and Club Captain Joe Edwards will lead the team for our Sky Bet Championship match against Bristol City on New Year’s Day. Daryl Flahavan will continue as Goalkeeping coach.
“We would like to thank Wayne and his team for all their efforts and wish them well for the future.
“The club will be making no further comment at this stage with updates on our new first team management staff in due course.”
It comes two days after his side’s 2-0 loss to relegation rivals Oxford United on Sunday.
Wayne Rooney's statement
WAYNE Rooney also today issued a statement after leaving the club.
He said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Board of Plymouth Argyle Football Club, in particular Simon Hallett and Neil Dewsnip who I shared great relationships with.
“Thanks also to all the staff who made me feel welcome and who make the club such a special place, the players and fans for their efforts and support during my time as Head Coach and I wish them all the best for the future.
“To the Green Army thanks for making the games at Home Park so special, they are memories that we will share forever.
“I would also like to give a special mention to my coaching staff Kevin Nancekivell, Simon Ireland, Darryl Flahavan and Mike Phelan for their knowledge, dedication, help and support.
“Plymouth Argyle will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will continue to look out for and take interest in their results.”
Following the defeat, Rooney told BBC Radio Devon: “We didn’t create enough chances and didn’t do enough to stop them scoring their goals.
“With the first one, it comes from a cross and it’s disappointing because we’ve been putting in work to stop crosses and get tighter to the man to stop it.
“The second goal comes from when they break out, we didn’t do well enough one-on-one defensively and it has cost us.
“I expected a bit more today and we didn’t get it but that’s football, and unfortunately we come away with the defeat.”
Earlier this month, Argyle chairman Simon Hallett publicly backed Rooney.
The ex-England legend also recently appointed Sir Alex Ferguson‘s former No2 Mike Phelan to replace outgoing assistant Pete Shuttleworth.
It also comes days after Rooney hit out at speculation he took a mystery woman back to his flat, insisting “it’s simply not true.”
Trolls and the MailOnline claimed that a video posted on X showed him letting an unidentified woman into his luxury Plymouth pad.
But yesterday he hit out and explained they were actually a couple who had given the football legend a lift home and his son was present at the time.
Posting on his Instagram stories, the angry football icon said: “I am aware of a video circulating online.
“The video shows a man and woman looking around my apartment.
“The couple kindly gave me a lift home and were in there at the same time as my son who was visiting.
“Footage is from last summer, it is annoying that at least one online newspaper has chosen to edit the footage to make it appear has though a woman entered the apartment on her own.
“That is simply not true.”
In the video, Wazza – wearing a grey tracksuit – unlocks a door to his rented luxury apartment in Plymouth as an unidentified woman stands waiting.
Rooney is then filmed walking past a huge flatscreen TV, with the camera later panning around to show a kitchen and dining table.
A woman can be heard saying “What time does it end?” while a man holds a blue baseball cap saying “this is the hat that he wears all the time”.
Another video shows the guests looking around Rooney’s bedroom and huge ensuite bathroom, with the girl saying “Wow” while the man says “Oh my f***ing god”.
A club spokesman confirmed the apartment videos were not recent as Rooney spent Saturday evening with his team in a hotel near Oxford’s ground preparing for the game.
Rooney took over at Home Park in May, succeeding Ian Foster.
It was the Man Utd legend’s first managerial role since he was sacked by Birmingham City in January.
The 39-year-old initially guided Plymouth into midtable by the start of October.
But the Pilgrims’ stuttering form – especially on the road – saw them drop into the relegation spots just before the festive period.
Plymouth’s away record is the worst in the entire Football League having taken just two points from 13 games.
A 4-0 Boxing Day drubbing at Coventry City left Plymouth bottom of the table.
And they followed it up with another defeat on the road to Oxford.
The board decided to part ways with Rooney following the defeat, just days after he insisted he was the man to lead them forward.
Rooney guided Plymouth to victory in just 4 of his 23 league games at the helm.
His team have leaked 51 goals, the most in the division, and last won on November 5.